Overcoming the Photovoltage Plateau in Large Bandgap Perovskite Photovoltaics

• Published in: Nano letters 2018-06, Vol.18 (6), p.3985-3993
• Main Authors: Rajagopal, Adharsh, Stoddard, Ryan J, Jo, Sae Byeok, Hillhouse, Hugh W, Jen, Alex K.-Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2D−3D perovskite; charge recombination dynamics; mixed-halide phase segregation; open-circuit voltage bottleneck; optoelectronic quality; SOLAR ENERGY; Tandem solar cell
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b01480

Development of large bandgap (1.80–1.85 eV E g) perovskite is crucial for perovskite–perovskite tandem solar cells. However, the performance of 1.80–1.85 eV E g perovskite solar cells (PVKSCs) are significantly lagging their counterparts in the 1.60–1.75 eV E g range. This is because the photovoltage (V oc) does not proportionally increase with E g due to lower optoelectronic quality of conventional (MA,FA,Cs)­Pb­(I,Br)3 and results in a photovoltage plateau (V oc limited to 80% of the theoretical limit for ∼1.8 eV E g). Here, we incorporate phenylethylammonium (PEA) in a mixed-halide perovskite composition to solve the inherent material-level challenges in 1.80–1.85 eV E g perovskites. The amount of PEA incorporation governs the topography and optoelectronic properties of resultant films. Detailed structural and spectroscopic characterization reveal the characteristic trends in crystalline size, orientation, and charge carrier recombination dynamics and rationalize the origin of improved material quality with higher luminescence. With careful interface optimization, the improved material characteristics were translated to devices and V oc values of 1.30–1.35 V were achieved, which correspond to 85–87% of the theoretical limit. Using an optimal amount of PEA incorporation to balance the increase in V oc and the decrease in charge collection, a highest power conversion efficiency of 12.2% was realized. Our results clearly overcome the photovoltage plateau in the 1.80–1.85 eV E g range and represent the highest V oc achieved for mixed-halide PVKSCs. This study provides widely translatable insights, an important breakthrough, and a promising platform for next-generation perovskite tandems.